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103-556: Kundannoor is a region in the city of Kochi , in the state of Kerala , India . It is located around 3.5 km from Vytilla Junction and around 7 km from Ernakulam Junction Railway Station.Kundanoor is located on the busiest road of the city and state, the Kochi Bypass , at the junction of three National Highways , namely NH 66 , NH 85 and NH 966B . NH 966B is the second shortest National highway in India. The junction now has

206-658: A mayor . For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 74 wards , from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. Earlier; Fort Kochi , Mattancherry and Ernakulam were the three Municipalities in Cochin area, which was later merged to form the Cochin Corporation. The corporation has its headquarters in Ernakulam, and zonal offices at Fort Kochi , Mattancherry, Palluruthy , Edappally and Pachalam . The general administration of

309-441: A city with one of the largest Christian populations in India. The majority of the city's residents are Malayalis . However, there are significant ethnic minority communities including Tamils , Gujaratis , Jews , Anglo-Indians , Sikhs and Konkanis Malayalam is the main language of communication and medium of instruction for primary education, although a number of schools do offer English medium education. The higher education

412-616: A closer transcription of its original Malayalam name, Kochi , in 1996. This change in name was challenged by the city municipal corporation, but the court later dismissed the plea. Muziris , a port somewhere north of Kochi (mostly identified with Kodungallur in Thrissur district ), was the centre of Indian spice trade for many centuries, and was known to the Arabs , Yavanas ( Greeks and Romans ) as well as Jews , Syrians, and Chinese since ancient times . Kochi rose to significance as

515-488: A coastline of 48 km. The eastern part of Kochi is mainly known as Ernakulam , while the western part of it after the Venduruthy Bridge is called as Western Kochi. The current metropolitan limits of Kochi include the mainland Ernakulam, Fort Kochi , the suburbs of Edapally , Kalamassery , Aluva and Kakkanad to the northeast; Tripunithura to the southeast; and a group of islands closely scattered in

618-401: A construction and realty boom in the city. Over the years, Kochi has witnessed rapid commercialisation, and has today grown into the commercial hub of Kerala. Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India at 9°58′N 76°13′E  /  9.967°N 76.217°E  / 9.967; 76.217 , with a corporation limit area of 94.88 km (36.63 sq mi). Over the years,

721-641: A crime rate of 1,897.8 compared to the 424.1 in whole Kerala. However, the city police commissioner defended that in major crimes such as murders and kidnapping, the city registered a low crime rate even behind other cities in the state. Kochi is part of the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency in Indian Parliament . The current elected Member of Parliament representing the constituency is Hibi Eden of Indian National Congress . The Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency elects seven members to

824-423: A newly opened SEBI office. Availability of electricity, fresh water, long coastline, backwaters, good banking facilities, presence of a major port, container trans-shipment terminal, harbour terminal and an international air terminal are some of the factors which accelerated the industrial growth in the city and its adjoining district. In recent years the city has witnessed heavy investment, thus making it one of

927-663: A popular tourist destination among both domestic and international travellers. It has been hosting India's first art biennale, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale , since 2012, which attracts international artists and tourists. The Chinese fishing nets , introduced during the 14th century by the Chinese, are a symbol of the city and a popular tourist attraction in themselves. Other landmarks include Mattanchery Palace , Marine Drive , Venduruthy Bridge , Church of Saint Francis and Mattanchery Bridge . The city ranks first in

1030-505: A project to build an industrial park named Electronic City spanning an area of 340 acres (140 ha), to cater to the electronic hardware industries. The private operator NeST is building a Special Economic Zone specifically for electronics hardware spanning an area of 30 acres (12 ha). The Cochin International Airport is in the process of setting up an aerotropolis at Nedumbassery . The air gateway to Kochi

1133-614: A result, the Kingdom of Tanur ( Vettathunadu ) became one of the earliest Portuguese Colonies in India. The ruler of Tanur also sided with Cochin . Many of the members of the royal family of Cochin in 16th and 17th centuries were selected from Vettom . However, the Tanur forces under the king fought for the Zamorin of Calicut in the Battle of Cochin (1504) . However, the allegiance of

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1236-653: A six-lane flyover due to the high traffic it handles. Since the current Kochi Bypass carries over twice the traffic it is designed to handle, the National Highways Authority of India had come up with a proposal for a new bypass for Kochi city a few years ago. As per the selected alignment, the Kochi New Bypass will begin from NH 544 at Karayamparambu, north of Kochi's suburb Angamaly , and end at NH 66 at Nettoor region of Maradu. In addition to this new greenfield National Highway project,

1339-523: A trading centre after the port Muziris around Kodungallur (Cranganore) was destroyed by the massive flooding of Periyar in 1341. The earliest documented references to Kochi occur in books written by Chinese voyager Ma Huan during his visit to Kochi in the 15th century as part of Admiral Zheng He 's treasure fleet. There are also references to Kochi in accounts written by Italian traveller Niccolò Da Conti , who visited Kochi in 1440. The ruler of Perumpadappu (near Ponnani ) fled to Kodungallur in

1442-533: A water metro project. The Kochi Water Metro is the first water metro project in India and the first integrated water transport system of this size in Asia connects 10 islands of Kochi through a network of 15 routes that span 76 km and 38 jetties. Kochi has the highest population density in Kerala with 7139 people per km . As of 2011 , Kochi had a metropolitan area population of 2,117,990. The female-to-male ratio

1545-502: Is 1,028:1,000, significantly higher than the all-India average of 933:1,000. Kochi's literacy rate is 97.5%. The female literacy rate lags that of males by 1.1%, among the lowest such gaps in India. Kochi's major religions are Hinduism , Christianity and Islam . Jainism , Judaism , Sikhism and Buddhism , with smaller followings, are also practised in Kochi. Though 44% practice Hinduism, Christianity's large following (38%) makes Kochi

1648-611: Is a union territory and is governed by the Union Government of India . The islands form the smallest union territory of India with their total surface area being just 32 km (12 sq mi). Next to these islands are the Maldives islands. These islands are all part of the Lakshadweep-Maldives-Chagos group of islands. Zalzala Koh was an island which was around for only a few years. After

1751-642: Is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea . It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala . The city is also commonly referred to as Ernakulam . As of 2011, the Kochi Municipal Corporation had a population of 677,381 over an area of 94.88 km , and the larger Kochi urban agglomeration had over 2.1 million inhabitants within an area of 440 km , making it

1854-569: Is about 3,862,000 km (1,491,130 sq mi). The maximum width of the sea is approximately 2,400 km (1,490 mi), and its maximum depth is 5,395 metres (17,700 ft). The biggest river flowing into the sea is the Indus River . The Arabian Sea has two important branches: the Gulf of Aden in the southwest, connecting with the Red Sea through the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb ; and

1957-776: Is also the Cochin Harbour Terminus providing rail connectivity to the southern segment of the Port of Kochi . The terminus is currently under renovation for the suburban rail networks in the city. The main rail transport system in Kochi is operated by the Southern Railway Zone of Indian Railways , and comes under Thiruvananthapuram Railway division . The South station is one of the busiest railway stations in South India, with more than 128 scheduled train services daily. The North station situated on

2060-476: Is also unofficially known as the automobile hub of Kochi, since it houses the most vehicle showrooms in the city and the state, including Mercedes-Benz , Volvo , Porsche , Audi , Volkswagen , Suzuki Nexa , Honda BigWing Topline, Jeep , Harley Davidson , etc. Kochi Kochi ( / ˈ k oʊ tʃ i / , Malayalam: [kotˈt͡ʃi] , ISO : Kōcci ), also known by its former name Cochin ( / ˈ k oʊ tʃ ɪ n / KOH -chin ),

2163-672: Is another major road and connects the Cochin Seaport to the Cochin International Airport . The Infopark Expressway in Kakkanad is connected to the Seaport-Airport Road and stretches all the way to Infopark . Other major roads include Chittoor Road , Banerji Road , Shanmugham Road , Kochi Bypass , Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road , Park Avenue etc. A new ring road is proposed for Kochi city by

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2266-503: Is invariably in English medium, and it is the preferred language in business circles. Tamil and Hindi are widely understood—albeit rarely spoken. Like other fast-growing cities in the developing world, Kochi suffers from major urbanisation problems. The city was ranked tenth among Indian cities in terms of house-cost and availability, urban household crowding and household incomes. Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea's surface area

2369-671: Is located in Kochi. Kochi Refineries of (BPCL) at Ambalamugal is the largest state owned refinery in India. Petronet India has now almost completed Kochi LNG Terminal , for importing and storing natural gas, for energy and fueling needs. Central Government establishments like the Coconut Development Board , the Coir Board and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) have head offices located in

2472-484: Is one of the major contributors of the local economy. Ernakulam district , in which Kochi is situated, ranks first in the total number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala, and thus contributes to the economy of the city. The tourist enclave at Fort Kochi and presence of several historical monuments, museums etc. as well as natural attractions like the Vembanad lake and the backwaters attract large number of tourists to

2575-529: Is recognised as one of the seventeen major industrial cities of India by the World Bank Group. However, in the 2009 rankings of ease to start and operate a business, among the 17 Indian cities selected, Kochi was rated as the second most difficult city to start business and was ranked 16th, above Kolkata. As in most of Kerala, remittances from non-resident Indians (NRI)s is a major source of income. Eloor , situated 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) north of

2678-430: Is the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) located at Nedumbassery , which is about 28 km (17 mi) north of Kochi city, and handles both domestic and international flights. It is the first international airport in India to be built without Central Government funds and is the world's first fully solar energy powered airport. The Cochin airport provides direct connectivity to popular international destinations in

2781-493: Is the first in the world to operate solely on solar energy . Kochi was one of the 28 Indian cities among the emerging 440 global cities that will contribute 50% of the world GDP by 2025, in a 2011 study done by the McKinsey Global Institute. In July 2018, Kochi was ranked the topmost emerging future megacity in India by global professional services firm JLL . Kochi's rich cultural heritage has made it

2884-723: Is under second phase of construction. The terminal acts as a hub for long-distance bus services away from the city centre, and also a converging point for different modes of public transport, namely bus, metro and ferry. Kochi is one of the few cities to be granted the new-generation air-conditioned low-floor and non-air-conditioned semi-low-floor buses under the JNNURM city transport development project. KURTC and private buses operate frequent schedules to neighbouring areas of Nedumbassery , Perumbavoor , Aluva , Muvattupuzha , Kothamangalam , Cherthala and Poochakkal . Taxis and auto rickshaws (called autos ) are available for hire throughout

2987-777: The Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA). Nicknamed the Queen of the Arabian Sea , Kochi was an important spice trading center on the west coast of India from antiquity. The port of Muziris traded with the Romans, Persians, Arabs, and Chinese. From 1503 to 1663, the Portuguese established Fort Kochi ( Fort Emmanuel ), before it was taken over by the Dutch in 1663. The Dutch then ceded

3090-750: The Horn of Africa and 380 km (240 mi) south of the Arabian Peninsula. Masirah and the five Khuriya Muriya Islands are islands off the southeastern coast of Oman. There are many major cities and towns in the coast of Arabian Sea. Some of the major cities are Mumbai , Muscat , Karachi , Aden , Salalah , Thiruvananthapuram , Kochi , Kozhikode , Alappuzha , Kollam , Mangalore , Bhavnagar , Jamnagar , Mogadishu , Gwadar , Abu Dhabi , Mundra , Dubai , Kannur , Panaji , Karwar , Udupi , Ratnagiri , Murdeshwar , Veraval , Colombo , Takamaka , and Dhiffushi . The Arabian Sea has one of

3193-494: The Köppen climate classification , Kochi features a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ). Kochi's proximity to the equator along with its coastal location results in little seasonal temperature variation, with moderate to high levels of humidity. Annual temperatures range between 23 and 31 °C (73 and 88 °F) with the record high being 36.5 °C (97.7 °F), and record low 16.3 °C (61.3 °F). From June to September,

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3296-848: The Malabar region to Kochi forcing it to become a tributary of Mysore . The hereditary Prime Ministership of Kochi held by the Paliath Achans ended during this period. Meanwhile, the Dutch, fearing an outbreak of war on the United Provinces , signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 with the United Kingdom, under which Kochi was ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for the island of Bangka , east of Sumatra . However, there are evidences of English habitation in

3399-536: The Mappila merchants in Tanur region still stayed under the Zamorin of Calicut. Kochi hosted the grave of Vasco da Gama , the first European explorer to set sail for India, who was buried at St. Francis Church until his remains were returned to Portugal in 1539. The Portuguese rule was followed by that of the Dutch who renamed Fort Immanuel as Fort Stormsburg. In meantime, the Royal Family of Kochi relocated

3502-624: The Ming dynasty of China decided to intervene by granting special status to Kochi and its ruler known as Keyili (可亦里) to the Chinese. Calicut had been the dominant port-city in the region, but Kochi was emerging as its main rival. For the fifth Ming treasure voyage , Admiral Zheng He was instructed to confer a seal upon Keyili of Kochi and enfeoff a mountain in his kingdom as the Zhenguo Zhi Shan (鎮國之山, Mountain Which Protects

3605-556: The Periyar River is handled by Kerala Water Authority with support of Water works department of Kochi Corporation. Electricity is provided by the Kerala State Electricity Board . The GCDA and GIDA are the government agencies initiating and monitoring the development of Greater Cochin area, mainly in developing infrastructure facilities for the city. Kochi is the seat of High Court of Kerala ,

3708-790: The Port of Karachi , Port Qasim , and the Gwadar Port in Pakistan, Chabahar Port in Iran and the Port of Salalah in Salalah , Oman . The largest islands in the Arabian Sea include Socotra ( Yemen ), Masirah Island (Oman), Lakshadweep (India) and Astola Island (Pakistan). The countries with coastlines on the Arabian Sea are Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, Iran, India and the Maldives . The International Hydrographic Organization defines

3811-946: The State Water Transport Department and private firms from various boat jetties in the city. The junkar ferry for the transshipment of vehicles and passengers between the islands are operated between Ernakulam and Vypin , and between Vypin and Fort Kochi. However, with the construction of the Goshree bridges (which links Kochi's islands), ferry transport has become less essential. The main boat jetties are Ernakulam Main Boat Jetty near Park Avenue, High Court Jetty in Banerjee Road, Embarkation Jetty in Willingdon Island and Fort Kochi Jetty. In April 2023, Kochi became India's first city to have

3914-770: The Vembanad Lake . The state government and the GCDA have plans to include Mala and Kodungallur in Thrissur district, Angamaly , Perumbavoor , Piravom and Kolenchery in Ernakulam district, Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom in Kottayam and Cherthala in Alappuzha district within Kochi metropolitan limits. The newly formed metropolis would be put under the charge of a new authority called Kochi Metropolitan Regional Development Authority. However, The Hindu reported that

4017-533: The south-west monsoon brings in heavy rains as Kochi lies on the windward side of the Western Ghats . From October to December, Kochi receives lighter (yet significant) rain from the northeast monsoon, as it lies on the leeward side. Average annual rainfall is 3,014.9 mm (118.70 in), with an annual average of 124 rainy days. The city is governed by the Kochi Corporation , headed by

4120-717: The 15th century Portuguese explorer Pero de Covilhăo , reaches depths of 4,400 metres (14,436 ft) and separates the Indus Fan region from the Oman Abyssal Plain, which eventually leads to the Gulf of Oman . The southern limits are dominated by the Arabian Basin , a deep basin reaching depths over 4,200 metres (13,780 ft). The northern sections of the Carlsberg Ridge flank the southern edge of

4223-576: The 2013 earthquake in Pakistan, the mud island was formed. By 2016 the island had completely submerged. Astola Island, also known as Jezira Haft Talar in Balochi , or 'Island of the Seven Hills', is a small, uninhabited island in the northern tip of the Arabian Sea in Pakistan's territorial waters. Socotra, also spelled Soqotra , is the largest island, being part of a small archipelago of four islands. It lies some 240 km (150 mi) east of

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4326-796: The Akhdar (Green) Sea, Bahre Fars (Persian Sea), the Ocean Sea, the Hindu sea, the Makran Sea, the sea of Oman; among them Zakariya al-Qazwini , Al-Masudi , Ibn Hawqal and Hafiz-i Abru . They wrote: "The green sea and Indian sea and Persian sea are all one sea and in this sea there are strange creatures." in Iran and Turkey people call it Oman sea. In the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , as well as in some ancient maps, Erythraean Sea refers to

4429-420: The Arabian Basin, which include a 5,358 metres (17,579 ft) deep point off the northern limit of Calrsberg Ridge. Prominent sea mounts off the Indian west coast include Raman Seamount named after C. V. Raman , Panikkar Seamount, named after N. K. Panikkar , and the Wadia Guyot , named after D. N. Wadia . Sind'Bad Seamount, named after the fictional explorer Sinbad the Sailor , Zheng He Seamount, and

4532-401: The Arabian Basin. The deepest parts of the Arabian Sea are in the Alula-Fartak Trough on the western edge of the Arabian Sea off the Gulf of Aden. The trough, reaching depths over 5,360 metres (17,585 ft), traverses the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. The deepest known point is in the Arabian Sea limits at a depth of 5,395 metres (17,700 ft). Other significant deep points are part of

4635-463: The Arabian Sea is warming monotonously; it possibly is due to global warming. The intensification and northward shift of the summer monsoon low-level jet over the Arabian Sea from 1979 to 2015, led to increased upper ocean heat content due to enhanced downwelling and reduced southward heat transport. Regional endonyms for the Arabian sea in languages of the coastal regions surrounding it. [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from

4738-401: The Arabian Sea, with the most important ones being Lakshadweep Islands (India), Socotra (Yemen), Masirah (Oman) and Astola Island (Pakistan). The Lakshadweep Islands (formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Aminidivi Islands) is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea region of Arabian Sea, 200 to 440 km (120 to 270 mi) off the southwestern coast of India. The archipelago

4841-455: The Country). Zheng He delivered a stone tablet, inscribed with a proclamation composed by the Yongle Emperor himself, to Kochi. As long as Kochi remained under the protection of Ming China, the Zamorin of Calicut was unable to invade Kochi and a military conflict was averted. The cessation of the Ming treasure voyages consequently had negative results for Kochi, as the Zamorin of Calicut would eventually launch an invasion against Kochi. In

4944-468: The Gulf of Oman to the northwest, connecting with the Persian Gulf. There are also the gulfs of Khambhat and Kutch on the Indian Coast . The Arabian Sea has been crossed by many important marine trade routes since the 3rd or 2nd millennium BCE. Major seaports include Kandla Port , Mundra Port , Pipavav Port , Dahej Port , Hazira Port , Mumbai Port , Nhava Sheva Port (Navi Mumbai) , Mormugão Port (Goa) , New Mangalore Port and Kochi Port in India,

5047-529: The Home Ministry of Government of Kerala . An anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation also operates out of the city. CISF maintains 3 squadrons for providing security to various central and state heavy industries, airport and seaport zones. Other major central agencies are NIA , DRI and Indian Customs due to the presence of major port. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Kochi reported significant increase of 193.7 per cent IPC crimes in 2010 compared to 2009, and reported

5150-416: The Indian subcontinent, which increase winds blowing towards India, bringing up nutrients and reducing oxygen in the Arabian Sea's waters. In winter, phytoplankton suited to low-oxygen conditions turn the OMZ bright green. The wildlife of the Arabian sea is diverse, and entirely unique because of the geographic distribution. Recent studies by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology confirmed that

5253-399: The Middle East, Malaysia , Thailand and Singapore and to most major Indian cities apart from tourist destinations like Lakshadweep . Kochi is also the headquarters of the Air India Express service. With a terminal area of 840,000 sq ft (78,000 m ), and a passenger capacity of 2200 (international and domestic), it is the largest and busiest airport in the state. It is also

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5356-533: The Mount Error Guyot are some notable sea mounts in western Arabian Sea. Border and basin countries: The Arabian Sea historically and geographically has been referred to with different names by Arabian and European geographers and travelers, including Erythraean Sea , Indian Sea, Oman sea , Erythraean, Persian Sea in para No 34-35 of the Voyage. In Indian folklore, it is referred to as Darya, Sindhu Sagar, Arab Samudra. Arab geographers, sailors and nomads used to call this sea by different names, including

5459-416: The Rajah of Cochin who gave a State Dinner in their honour at Ernakulam . By the 1870s, the capital of Kochi Kingdom was relocated again to Kochi Suburb of Tripunithura . In 1910, Ernakulam became the administrative capital of Kochi Kingdom with establishment of Royal Secretariat and State Durbar. The offices of the Diwan and High court were soon moved into Ernakulam. In 1925, Kochi legislative assembly

5562-450: The area to the United Kingdom. Kochi remained under the control of the Kingdom of Cochin , which became a princely state of the British . Today, Kochi has been described as the financial , commercial and industrial capital of Kerala. Kochi is the only city in the country to have a water metro system , which has been described as the world's largest electric boat metro transportation infrastructure. The Cochin International Airport

5665-429: The best places to go in Asia in 2024. Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi, variously alluding to it as Cocym , Cochym , Cochin , and Kochi . The Cochin Jewish community called Cochin Kogin ( Hebrew : קוגין ), which is seen in the seal of the synagogue owned by the community. The Arab merchants called this place Kashi , which is seen in the books such as Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen . The origin of

5768-419: The capital of Kochi Kingdom to Thrissur , leaving nominal authority over Islands of Kochi. In 1664, Fort Kochi Municipality was established by Dutch, making it the first municipality in Indian subcontinent, which got dissolved when Dutch authority got weaker in the 18th century. The remaining part of Kochi were governed by governors of Kochi Kingdom. By 1773, the Mysore ruler Hyder Ali extended his conquest in

5871-419: The central part of the city. It has a wide range of mangrove species and is a nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds. Kochi's water needs are entirely dependent on ground water and the two rivers flowing through the district viz., Periyar and Muvattupuzha . Periyar serves the entire northern part of the city whereas Muvattupuzha river under the JnNurm project covers the western part. Under

5974-413: The city has expanded considerably outside the corporation limit set in 1967, although the official city limits haven't been changed. The city straddles the backwaters, encompassing the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and a portion of the mainland. To the west lies the Laccadive Sea , and to the east is the urbanised region in the rest of the mainland area. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with

6077-491: The city is a major exporter of spices and is home to the International Pepper Exchange , where black pepper is globally traded. The Spices Board of India and World Spice Organisation are headquartered in Kochi. The IT and ITES related industries are growing up in Kochi. Availability of cheap bandwidth through undersea cables and lower operational costs compared to other major cities in India, has been to its advantage. Various technology and industrial campuses including

6180-463: The city is handled by the Personnel Department and the Council Standing committee Section. Other departments include that of town planning , health, engineering, revenue and accounts. The corporation is also responsible for waste disposal and sewage management. The city produces more than 600 tons of waste per day and a large portion of waste is decomposed at Brahmapuram Solid Waste plant into organic manure. The supply of potable water , sourced from

6283-424: The city-centre, is the largest industrial belt in Kerala, with more than 250 factories manufacturing a range of products including chemical and petrochemical products, pesticides , rare earth elements , rubber processing chemicals, fertilisers , zinc and chromium compounds, and leather products. Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT), one of the oldest fertilizers and chemical industry in Kerala

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6386-575: The city. Kalamassery which is situated around 16.5 km from the City Center is one of the major Industrial areas. Leading factories like FACT , HMT and IT/Biotechnology park like KINFRA Hi-Tech Park are located here. The Cochin University of Science and Technology is located at Kalamassery. Irimpanam is another major industrial area in Kochi. The Seaport-Airport Road (SPAP Road) passes through this place and oil giants like Indian Oil Corporation , Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum have plants here. Like elsewhere in Kerala, tourism

6489-417: The city. Kochi is served by National Highway 66 , National Highway 544 , National Highway 966A and National Highway 966B . Several state highways also connect Kochi with other parts of Kerala. SH 15, Ettumanoor-Ernakulam Road , connects the city to Kottayam , Pala , Kumily , Changanacherry , Pathanamthitta etc. SH 41, Palarivattom-Thekkady Road , provides a corridor to the eastern parts of

6592-437: The city. Presence of several leading hospitality brands have been a major source of employment for locals. The Kochi Port is one of the leading ports where international cruisers call on regularly. The city has the first marina facility in the country, Kochi Marina which attracts large number of yacht-totters. Real Estate industry is also one industry which is contributing a lot to the economy of Kochi. Many players have entered

6695-399: The coast of the sea. It is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar . The Gwadar Port of Pakistan is a warm-water, deep-sea port situated at Gwadar in Balochistan at the apex of the Arabian Sea and at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, about 460 km west of Karachi and approximately 75 km (47 mi) east of Pakistan's border with Iran. The port is located on

6798-410: The day. Development of road infrastructure not keeping pace with the increase in traffic is a major problem faced by Kochi, like most other parts of Kerala. The city has four major railway stations – Ernakulam Junction , Ernakulam Town (locally known as the South and North railway stations respectively), Aluva , and Tripunithura followed by smaller stations, Edapally and Kalamassery. There

6901-462: The district. SH 63, Vypeen Pallipuram Road and SH 66, Alappuzha – Thoppumpady road are coastal roads that serve the narrow sliver of land between the backwaters and the sea. The main arterial roads of the city are the Mahatma Gandhi Road and Sahodaran Ayyappan Road in Ernakulam, constructed in 1925 & 1962 respectively which runs parallel & perpendicular to the coast and having the proposed Metro Rail connectivity. The Seaport-Airport Road

7004-457: The early medieval period, when the Zamorin of Calicut annexed Ponnani region, after Tirunavaya war. They later moved to Kochi and established the Kingdom of Cochin . When Vasco Da Gama landed at Kozhikode and the Zamorin of Calicut fought against the Portuguese with Kunjali Marakkar , the ruler of Cochin aligned with the Portuguese. On the Malabar coast during the early 15th century, Calicut and Kochi were in an intense rivalry, so

7107-443: The eastern bay of a natural hammerhead-shaped peninsula jutting out into the Arabian Sea from the coastline. Port of Salalah in Salalah, Oman is also a major port in the area. The International Task Force often uses the port as a base. There is a significant number of warships of all nations coming in and out of the port, which makes it a very safe bubble. The port handled just under 3.5m teu in 2009. There are several islands in

7210-420: The erstwhile Travancore-Kochi-Malabar regions. A major portion of the district is from the Kochi kingdom. The city's economic growth gathered momentum after economic reforms in India introduced by the central government in the early 1990s. Since 2000, the service sector has energised the city's economy. The establishment of several industrial parks based on IT and other port based infrastructure triggered

7313-480: The establishment of the state of Kerala, the Kochi Municipal Corporation came into existence. The merger leading to the establishment of the corporation, was between the municipalities of Ernakulam, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi , along with that of the Willingdon Island , four panchayats ( Palluruthy , Vennala , Vyttila and Edappally ), and the small islands of Gundu and Ramanthuruth . The Kochi and Ernakulam districts formed on 1 April 1958 carving areas of

7416-560: The existing NH 85 (Kochi-Dhanushkodi) starting from Kundannoor junction will be widened to a four-lane one under Bharatmala . As per the plans the new widened NH will avoid the current NH 85 until Puthenkurishu , starting around 1 kilometre south of the existing Kundanoor Junction. The Le Meridien and Crowne Plaza hotels are near Kundanoor junction. Many shopping malls are proposed and some including Prestige Group 's Kochi Forum Thomson Mall are under construction in Kundanoor. Kundanoor

7519-609: The fastest-growing second-tier metro cities in India. Sales tax income generated in the Kochi metropolitan area contributes heavily to state revenue. The district contributes 15.1% of the state GDP. Construction and manufacturing industries combined contributes 37% of the district's total GDP, and trade, tourism and hospitality industries together provides another 20%. Major business sectors include construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding , transportation/shipping, seafood and spices exports, chemical industries, information technology (IT), tourism, health services , and banking. Kochi

7622-758: The first European settlement in India at Kochi in 1500. From 1503 to 1663, Fort Kochi ( Fort Emmanuel ) was ruled by Portugal . This Portuguese period was a harrowing time for the Saint Thomas Christians , Muslim Mappilas , and the Jews , as the Inquisition was active in Portuguese India . The ruler of the Kingdom of Tanur , who was a vassal to the Zamorin of Calicut, sided with the Portuguese, against his overlord at Kozhikode . As

7725-545: The fourth busiest airport in India in terms of international passenger traffic, and seventh busiest overall. Kochi is well connected to neighbouring cities and states via several highways. It is a node in the North-South Corridor of the National Highway system. The road infrastructure in Kochi has not been able to meet the growing traffic demand and hence traffic congestion is a major problem in

7828-670: The government promoted InfoPark , Cochin Special Economic Zone and KINFRA Export Promotion Industrial Park operate in the outskirts of the city. Several new industrial campuses are under construction in the suburbs of the city. SmartCity at Kakkanad is one of the prominent projects. Cyber City at Kalamassery is another integrated IT township SEZ being planned in the private sector. Kochi has an established electronics hardware industry with companies such as V-Guard Industries, OEN India Limited, FCI OEN Connectors and SFO Technologies. The Government of Kerala has announced

7931-534: The highest judicial body in the state of Kerala. The Kochi City Police is headed by a Police Commissioner , an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city is divided into five zones and each zone under a circle officer. Apart from regular law & order, the city police comprises the Traffic Police, Narcotics Cell, Riot horse, Armed Reserve Camps, District Crime Records Bureau and a Women's Police station . It operates 19 police stations functioning under

8034-641: The largest and the most populous metropolitan area in Kerala. Kochi city is also part of the Greater Cochin development region and is classified as a Tier-II city by the Government of India . The civic body that governs the city is the Kochi Municipal Corporation , which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and

8137-594: The late 15th century, the Zamorin occupied Kochi and installed his representative as the king of the port-city. According to many historians, the precursor state to Kingdom of Kochi came into existence in the early 12th century, after the fall of the Chera Kingdom . The reign of the Kingdom was hereditary, and the family that ruled over the region was known as the Perumpadappu Swaroopam in

8240-533: The limits of the Arabian Sea as follows: The International Indian Ocean Expedition in 1959 was among the first to perform hydrographic surveys of the Arabian Sea. Significant bathymetric surveys were also conducted by the Soviet Union during the 1960s. Significant features in the northern Arabian Sea include the Indus Fan , the second largest fan system in the world. The De Covilhao Trough, named after

8343-508: The local vernacular. The port at Kozhikode held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur , Kollam , and Kochi, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather. The Portuguese arrived at Kappad Kozhikode in 1498 during the Age of Discovery , thus opening a direct sea route from Europe to India. Portuguese navigator, Pedro Álvares Cabral founded

8446-637: The market and have developed residential properties. Kochi is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command , the primary training centre of the Indian Navy. The Cochin Shipyard , contributes to the economy of the city. The fishing harbour at Thoppumpady is a minor fishing port in the state and supplies fish to local and export markets. To further tap the potential of the all-season harbour at Kochi, an international cruise terminal

8549-638: The metro system will have 22 stations connecting the suburban towns of Aluva and Pettah while passing through downtown. The first half of the Phase-1 of Kochi Metro was inaugurated on 17 June 2017 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi . Currently Kochi Metro is operational from Aluva till Maharaja's College along the Kalamassery – Edappally – Kaloor – MG Road stretch, covering a total of 18.4 km with 16 operational metro stations. Kochi ranks among India's major seaports, partly due to being one of

8652-533: The name Kochi is thought to be the Malayalam word kochu azhi , meaning 'small lagoon'. Accounts by Italian explorers Nicolo Conti (15th century), and Fra Paoline in the 17th century say that it was called Kochchi , named after the river connecting the backwaters to the sea. After the arrival of the Portuguese, and later the British, the name Cochin stuck as the official appellation. The city reverted to

8755-604: The newly reclaimed inner harbour equipped with a long array of steam cranes. In 1947, when India gained independence from the British colonial rule , Cochin was the first princely state to join India willingly. In 1949, Travancore–Cochin state came into being with the merger of Cochin and Travancore . The King of Travancore was the Rajpramukh of the Travancore–Cochin Union from 1949 to 1956. Travancore-Cochin,

8858-526: The northern side of the city, caters mostly to long-distance services that bypass the South station, and also is an additional halt station for many trains. There is also a historic station named as Ernakulam Terminus (station code:ERG) situated behind the High Court . Great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and The British Viceroy have visited Cochin through this old railway station. Ernakulam Terminus

8961-690: The region even before the signing of the treaty. In 1866, Fort Kochi municipality was reinstalled. Fort Kochi , which was a part of Malabar District until 1956, was made a municipality on 1 November 1866, along with Kannur , Thalassery , Kozhikode , and Palakkad , according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire . Its first Municipal Council seating contest

9064-603: The rough country in the southern Arabian Peninsula was significant, and the Egyptian Pharaohs built several shallow canals to service the trade, one more or less along the route of today's Suez Canal , and another from the Red Sea to the Nile River , both shallow works that were swallowed up by huge sand storms in antiquity. Later the kingdom of Axum arose in Ethiopia to rule a mercantile empire rooted in

9167-573: The safest harbours in the Indian Ocean. The port, administered by a statutory autonomous body known as the Cochin Port Trust , offers facilities for bunkering , handling cargo and passenger ships and storage accommodation. The port is a complex of three islands, one of which is man-made. It also operates passenger ships to Colombo and Lakshadweep . Boat services are operated by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation ,

9270-746: The sea around the rough inland terrain features to its north. These routes usually began in the Far East or down river from Madhya Pradesh , India with transshipment via historic Bharuch (Bharakuccha), traversed past the inhospitable coast of modern-day Iran, then split around Hadhramaut , Yemen into two streams north into the Gulf of Aden and thence into the Levant , or south into Alexandria via Red Sea ports such as Axum . Each major route involved transhipping to pack animal caravan , travel through desert country and risk of bandits and extortionate tolls by local potentates. This southern coastal route past

9373-450: The state Legislative Assembly, one each from Ernakulam , Kalamassery , Kochi , Paravur , Thrikkakara , Thrippunithura and Vypin . Kochi is widely referred to as the financial and commercial capital of Kerala. Federal Bank , the fourth-largest Private-sector bank in India is located in Aluva which is a suburb of Kochi. Being a major online trading centre in the country, Kochi has

9476-522: The state government for which a project study is being currently undertaken by NATPAC. The primary form of public transport within the city is largely dependent on privately owned bus networks. The state-run also operates its services in the city through the Thirukochi service. The major bus terminals in the city are Ernakulam Town, Ernakulam Jetty and the private bus terminal at Kaloor. An integrated transit terminal namely The Mobility Hub at Vytilla

9579-489: The state government is yet to take any concrete steps in this regard. Soil consists of sediments such as alluvium , teris, brown sands, etc. Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters. Predominant rock types found here are Archaean -basic dykes , Charnockites and Gneisses . An ecologically sensitive area, the Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located in

9682-718: The total number of international and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala. The city was ranked the sixth best tourist destination in India according to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine . In October 2019, Kochi was ranked seventh in Lonely Planet 's list of top 10 cities in the world to visit in 2020. In November 2023, the British Luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller rated Kochi as one of

9785-466: The trade with Europe via Alexandria. Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai is the largest port in the Arabian Sea, and the largest container port in India. Major Indian ports in the Arabian Sea are Mundra Port , Kandla Port , Nava Sheva , Kochi Port , Mumbai Port , Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram and Mormugão . The Port of Karachi , Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport lies on

9888-453: The whole area of the northwestern Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea. The Arabian Sea has been an important marine trade route since the era of the coastal sailing vessels from possibly as early as the 3rd millennium BCE, certainly the late 2nd millennium BCE through the later days known as the Age of Sail . By the time of Julius Caesar , several well-established combined land-sea trade routes depended upon water transport through

9991-497: The world's three largest oceanic oxygen minimum zones (OMZ), or “dead zones,” along with the eastern tropical North Pacific and the eastern tropical South Pacific. OMZs have very low levels of oxygen , sometimes so low as to be undetectable by standard equipment. The Arabian Sea's OMZ has the lowest levels of oxygen in the world, especially in the Gulf of Oman. Causes of the OMZ may include untreated sewage as well as high temperatures on

10094-612: Was also constructed. Exports and allied activities are also important contributors to the city's economy. The Cochin Port currently handles export and import of container cargo at its terminal at Willingdon Island . The International Container Transshipment Terminal operating out of Vallarpadam , is India's largest transshipment terminal. Cochin Port Trust also planning to build an Outer Harbour near Puthuvype . Kochi's historical reliance on trade continues into modern times, as

10197-653: Was conducted in 1883. In 1896, H.H. Rama Varma XV , The Maharaja of Cochin, initiated local administration by forming town councils in Mattancherry and Ernakulam . In 1907, the Governor of the Madras Presidency, Sir Arthur Lawley and his brother, Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock , Governor of Madras, 1891 to 1896, left for an official tour of Cochin and Travancore , which lasted from 25 January to 14 February. On 26 January, they were met by His Highness

10300-440: Was constituted due to public pressure on the state. Towards the early 20th century, trade at the port had increased substantially, and the need to develop the port was greatly felt. Harbour engineer Robert Bristow was brought to Kochi in 1920 under the direction of Lord Willingdon , then the Governor of Madras . In a span of 21 years, he transformed Kochi as one of the safest harbours in the peninsula, where ships berthed alongside

10403-484: Was forwarded to the government—requesting the formation of a municipal corporation by combining the existing municipalities of Fort Kochi , Mattancherry , and Ernakulam . The government appointed a commission to study the feasibility of the suggested merger. Based on its report, the Kerala Legislative Assembly approved the corporation's formation. On 1 November 1967, exactly eleven years since

10506-472: Was in turn merged with the Malabar district of the Madras State . Finally, the Government of India 's States Reorganisation Act (1956) inaugurated a new state—Kerala—incorporating Travancore-Cochin (excluding the four southern Taluks which were merged with Tamil Nadu ), Malabar District, and the taluk of Kasargod , South Kanara . On 9 July 1960 the Mattancherry council passed a resolution—which

10609-435: Was the first station to serve the city but had to be abandoned in the early 1960s. Now this station operates as a goods depot of Southern Railway. The Kochi Metro is a metro rapid transit system serving the city of Kochi, intended to considerably ease traffic congestion in the city and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is being set up at an overall estimated cost of ₹ 5,146 crore (US$ 620 million). The Phase-1 of

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